Abstract

Previously the main approach to understanding the strength behavior of ceramics was through the study of its dependence on microstructure. More recently, the fracture mechanics approach, with great emphasis on fracture energy, has come to the fore. Both approaches are incomplete by themselves; they must be correlated with the character of actual failure origins. The major purpose of this paper is to present results of recent fracture origin determinations and utilize these to correlate and modify both approaches. This three-way correlation more extensively incorporates into fracture mechanics the important, if not dominating, effect micro- structure has on mechanical behavior. The large back-ground of strength-microstructure data is more effectively used and behavior is more clearly linked to processing. A sounder basis is laid for comparison of bodies made by different people, processes, etc., which is important to broader application of ceramics.

Keywords

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

The American Ceramic Society granted permission for extensive use of information from “Effects of Micro-structure and Internal Stress on strength and Fracture of Ceramics” presented respectively at their 1972 Fall Basic Science and 1973 Annual meetings.